Riyadh Air to Sell Package Holidays to and From Saudi Arabia

My colleague Josh Corder recently reported how Saudi Arabia is thinking about luxury: The country’s tourism leadership acknowledged that 4- and 5-star hotels will account for at most 20% of their traffic.

Nowhere does the saying "the journey is the destination" ring truer than in Switzerland.

Big Bus Tours has acquired activities firm Tour Dubai as the company continues to expand outside of its core business. Big Bus Tours has around 550 buses in 26 destinations around the world, but in recent years, has been increasingly focused on the wider activities industry.

From TBO Tek’s IPO launch and Akasa Air’s international network to the future of Vistara’s loyalty program post its merger with Air India, join Skift Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia and India Reporter Bulbul Dhawan as they discuss some of the biggest headlines from India.

Buddie, a new AI-driven digital platform, aims to revolutionize Saudi Arabia’s tourism by offering personalized, sustainable travel experiences tailored to individual needs and preferences.

Saudia Group has confirmed a substantial order of 105 A320neo Family aircraft, supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and enhancing operational capabilities across global destinations.

A Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore made an emergency landing in Bangkok due to severe turbulence, resulting in one death and injuries to 30 passengers.

As Chinese travel into the Middle East continues to increase, one of the country’s largest hotel operators sees an opportunity. While it’s not as commonly known in the West, H World is a giant in the hotel industry, with around 9,300 hotels and close to one million rooms across the world.

Skift reported recently that Saudi’s Vision 2030 is too expensive for tourists: If it eventually wants 70 million international visitors, it’s going to need more supply of hotels that don’t cost thousands of dollars a day. 

Jeddah Historic District Program (JHD), under the patronage of the Saudi Ministry of Culture, and Cruise Saudi, a fully-owned Public Investment Fund company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This agreement aligns with the ambitious development goals of Saudi Vision 2030. This partnership is strategically designed to accommodate the increasing number of international cruise visitors who enjoy exploring the authentic sites of the historic district. Central to the goals of both Jeddah Historic District Program and Cruise Saudi is preserving the area’s distinctive cultural identity and historical landmarks while stimulating local economic growth. This collaboration encourages local entrepreneurship and investment, drawing on the private sector’s innovative capacities to enhance the visitor experience. This proactive involvement aims to boost job creation, foster small businesses, and promote sustainable economic activities that benefit the entire community.

Even by Saudi standards, the goals are ambitious: By 2030, the country wants 330 million passengers to pass through its airports annually, up from around 112 million last year.

India’s newest airline, Akasa Air, made its international debut in Doha, Qatar in March — just 19 months after its launch.